Give cleaner cars a boost in Washington

Clean car technology and infrastructure ("Annapolis electric-vehicle charging business grows," Oct. 5) brings benefits to local businesses. Cleaner cars help our economy and our environment and mean consumer savings at the pump as more fuel efficient vehicles — and vehicles that don't use any gasoline at all — become the norm rather than the exception.

The Obama administration has outlined strong new fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks sold in 2017 through 2025. These standards will save Americans over $80 billion at the gas pump annually by 2030, and would cut gasoline use by as much as 23 billion gallons per year.

These standards will also be the single largest step the U.S. has taken to get off oil and cut global warming pollution. Meeting these fuel efficiency standards will cut annual emissions of global warming pollution by as much as 280 million metric tons.

In order to save Marylanders the most at the pump, we must ensure that the 2017-2025 standards are as strong as possible. Citizens can voice their thoughts on the standards in a public comment period this fall and encourage the Obama administration to keep this rule strong, ensuring vast economic and environmental savings for all of us.